The Cult-TV Faces of: Protests

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Advert Artwork: Fraggle Rock (HBO)

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Challenge of the Super Friends: "Doomsday" (December 9, 1978)

The Super Friends foil an attack by the Legion of Doom on the brand new vessel Dauntless, the largest aircraft carrier in the world.  The Legion abandons Sinestro, Cheetah and Black Manta, rather than help them during the crisis.

Enraged, the three super villains seek revenge, leaving anti-matter robots in their place, in the Hall of Justice, and heading out to execute their wrath.

Soon, it's a battle between two Legions of Doom!

"Doomsday" features members of the Legion of Doom turning against the villainous organization, and boasts some intriguing moments. 

For one, we get to see the holding cells at the Hall of Justice. All the criminals housed there, intriguingly, are extra-terrestrial in nature. 

On one hand, this alien round-uup captures the idea that the Justice League protects more than Earth, but rather the whole galaxy. 

On the other hand, it doesn't seem realistic that Earth would house these prisoners, considering how people feel, today, about housing terrorists in American jails. How do you think such people would react knowing dangerous alien criminals are incarcerated in the middle of a major city?

Secondly, Black Manta carries a hand gun in this episode that very clearly resembles an inverted Colonial Viper, from Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979).

Bad dialogue watch: Rboin says "Holy Abominable Snowman," and Aquaman gets the honor of saying "That's what you think" this week. The target of his quip is Sinestro.

Nextweek: "Super Friends: Rest in Peace."

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Far Out Space Nuts: "Captain Torque, Space Pirate" (November 13, 1975 )

Captain Torque, notorious and tyrannical space pirate wants to recruit the two stupidest volunteers in the galaxy to serve on his crew, and settles on the space nuts: Barney (Chuck McCann), Junior (Bob Denver) and Honk (Patty Maloney).

Once on the pirate’s spaceship crew, the space nuts must “walk the space beam” (a plank made of light) and endure other indignities, until contacted by space authorities for a secret mission.

Now they must double cross the captain, and procure an important treasure protected by “zapatron” rays, so it doesn’t fall into Torque’s hands.

The set-up for this week’s episode of Far Out Space Nuts (1975) is familiar indeed: a villain seeks nincompoops for henchmen and settles on the series protagonists. 

Why villains should require idiots (instead of smart, competent assistants) is a peculiarity of this particular Saturday morning universe.  The Space Nuts are constantly being chosen for jobs on their basis of their stupidity. They guard alien eggs, because they are dumb. They are made space pirates, because they are dumb.

The problem, which villains rarely see, is that not only are the starring characters stupid, but they are cowards as well.

Here, the old cult-TV “space pirate” trope gets trotted out for a heist episode in which a “cosmic treasure” aboard an intergalactic museum ship is the quarry.  That treasure, the “Quasar” is captured by our heroes, but they almost contend with another sci-fi trope: space foam! 

Here, a device called “the vaculator” can douse people in slimy, sticky foam. Such foam has appeared as a menace to space adventurers on Doctor Who (“Seeds of Death”), Space: 1999 (“Space Brain”), and Blake’s 7 (“Space Fall”) to name just a few classic series, but it isn’t much of a menace here. It looks like shaving cream is sprayed in characters’ faces, straight from the (off-camera) can.

Next week: “Vanishing Aliens Mystery.”

Cult-TV Blogging: The Immortal: "Reflections on a Lost Tomorrow" (October 8, 1970)

In “Reflections on a Lost Tomorrow,” tycoon Arthur Maitland (David Brian) and fugitive Ben Richards (Christopher George) both seek out Doctor Walter Koster (Jake Albertson), a  local physician who believes that he can stop and even reverse the aging process.

After learning that Koster and his lovely daughter, Dr. Anne Koster (Rosemary Forsythe) are trustworthy individuals, Ben Richards confides his secret to them, and consents to testing. Perhaps, if he can unlock the mysteries of his unique blood, he will no longer be a hunted man. At least that’s the hope.

Unfortunately, Maitland shows up at the Koster Clinic too, also seeking treatment. With Fletcher (Don Knight) at his side, he offers to give Koster a million dollars to continue his research. At first, Koster seems incorruptible, but before long, he sells out Ben for the promise of making a difference with his work.

Fortunately, the doctor sees the error of his ways, and with Anne’s help works to free Ben from custody. The Kosters help him escape from the clinic, but Ben has grown close to Anne and their goodbye is sorrowful.

Although lacking in any real science fiction storytelling, “Reflections on a Lost Tomorrow” is another riveting episode of the short-lived The Immortal (1970-1971). The episode favors suspense over action -- which is a bit of a change, -- and the romance between Richards and Anne doesn’t feel at all forced, remarkably, even though it is a trope of man-on-the-run series such as this one.  The result is an entertaining hour.

“Reflections on a Lost Tomorrow” is very much about character, particularly the character of cantankerous Dr. Koster. 

When he first see him, he is a guest on a local TV series “Frontiers of Science,” operating a clinic, and happy with his place in life. He loves his work in fact, and is clearly a genius in his field, even without notoriety, fame, or the promise of a professional legacy. Koster resists Maitland’s efforts to corrupt him, at least for a while, but loses sight, finally, of his oath to do no harm.  It takes a while for Koster to understand that his real legacy in this life is Anne, a better version of himself, perhaps, and she shows her father how to be his best self again.

It’s fascinating how Maitland manages to appeal to Koster’s vanity over time. Koster claims he is concerned with “millions of lives” and therefore doing the right thing. It is Anne who must remind her father that if he gives in, Ben will be “…caged like an animal…long after we’ve died.”

In other words, you can’t be a hero for saving millions if you are willing to let one of your patients suffer.

On the other hand, this discussion simultaneously lessens our identification with Richards. Ben has the capacity, basically, to change the world, if only he accepts some limits on his freedom. As is pointed out, he doesn't have to turn himself in to Maitland or some other greedy private individual. He could surrender to the government, and hope to be treated fairly.  

Richards' insistence that he's "gotta be free" means, essentially, that he risks squandering his gift, and never helping those whom he could save.  At time, this feels very, very selfish.

In terms of presentation and style, “Reflections on a Lost Tomorrow” doesn’t exactly end on a high-note, unfortunately. Anne helps Ben escape from a strait jacket, and he puts on a disguise before fleeing the clinic, but he’s been drugged, so he’s shaky. To escape the building, he must walk out on his own two feet, and not draw attention to himself.  This is difficult, and we can see how groggy he is, thanks to George's good performance.

Director Leslie H. Martinson shoots the scene well, to, again, heighten the sense of suspense. But, alas, he is undercut by the scene’s lack of extras. We get several point-of-view shots, as Richards walks the halls of the clinic, trying to escape. We see the same patient in a robe twice, for instance, in different rooms. Once, he walks by Richards. The next time we see him, Richards enters a new room, and he is sitting down there. Another extra tries to disguise himself by wearing a surgical mask in one of his two shots, but we’ve clearly seen him before as well.  

If you have an attentive eye, these repeat “extras” will undercut the hard-fought attempt to build suspense.

Finally, this episode adds significantly to the sense of villainy surrounding Maitland. When he learns that Koster has betrayed him, for example, the rich man's default position is to threaten to burn down the doctor’s clinic. That’s his first instinct. To commit arson to hurt the person who defied him. The fact that the clinic is filled with sick people is immaterial to the guy. It’s actually a shocking moment because it is so ugly. We know Maitland is single-minded in wanting to live forever, to cage and use Richards at his discretion. Here, we see he is vindictive and murderous too.

Next week: “The Legacy.”

Video Game of the Week: Speed Racer (Playstation; 1996)

Trading Cards of the Week: Speed Racer (Prime Time)

Lunch Box of the Week: Speed Racer

Model Kit of the Week: Speed Racer (Polar Lights)

Theme Song of the Week: Speed Racer

Star Trek: The Next Generation 30th Anniversary Blogging: "Justice" (November 9, 1987)

Stardate: 41255.6

After settling a Federation colony in a nearby solar system, the Enterprise visits Rubicun III, a planet populated by the friendly, and sexually-liberated Edo.

Shore leave privileges are approved on the planet, after a review of local customs by Lt. Yar (Denise Crosby), but the Enterprise must also reckon with a sensor ghost in orbit: a giant phantom-like presence that resembles a space station.

Meanwhile, the legal customs of the Edo prove not to be quite as liberated as the citizenry’s sexual behavior. Capital punishment -- for every crime -- is widely used as a deterrent.

Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) accidentally breaks a law while playing ball with some Rubicun youth, and is sentenced to die for the transgression.

Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) wants to adhere to the Prime Directive, and not interfere in the planet’s customs, but he also knows he can’t let the boy die over a minor infraction (destroying young plants, accidentally).

Picard must weigh his choice carefully, however, because the phantom in space is worshiped by the Edo as a God.

And that “God” takes care of them, and warns the Enterprise not to interfere with its “children.”

I readily confess that I like “Justice” a good bit more than I do many early first season offerings of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

This episode gets away from the oft-seen sound-stage interiors and fake rocks found there to shoot on location, for one thing.  It also follows to the hilt Gene Roddenberry’s “kinky” proclivities, and, finally, tests Captain Picard most profoundly. 

On that last front, our good captain is very much in the middle. While he is judging the customs of the Edo, he is, simultaneously, being judged by the Edo’s God. Captain Picard may think the Edo primitive and misguided for their legal system, but for every move he makes, he must weigh how his behavior reflects on him, his crew, and even the Federation.

He is battling his responsibility to the letter of the law, but also responsibility for his people, namely Wesley.

Today, the sexuality of the Edo -- “playing at love,” scantily clad, and oiled up -- probably seems like nothing scandalous, or even a bit cheesy.  To which I would say; remember context.

We have had thirty years since “Justice” aired to grow accustomed to more provocative TV on premium cable (HBO), regular cable, and even network television. In 1987, however, this was all cutting-edge stuff. Star Trek was a “family franchise” pushing the envelope on content and visuals. 

Too often, I think, people forget that fact, now. It’s easy to laugh at this show, and call it “Planet of the Joggers” (because all the super physically-fit Edo run everywhere, in what looks like a public resort), but the fact of the matter is that the episode is very frank about sexuality. Although we don’t see it, it’s pretty clear that the Enterprise crew who are visiting the planet are engaging sex with these people. There’s a sexual charge in some of the sequences, such as Worf and Rivan’s (Brenda Bakke) introduction, or Tasha’s look of contentment and arousal when she notes that the locals make love at the drop of “any” hat.

Remember: 1987.

On Star Trek.

Thematically, “Justice” is a much like the series premiere, “Encounter at Farpoint” in that it concerns a superior alien being judging the crew of the Enterprise. This is a common Star Trek theme, but here the emphasis is a bit different.

In “Encounter at Farpoint,” Q had no real interest in the Bandi, or what happened to them, let alone the jellyfish aliens. He just wanted to see if the humans could solve what he viewed as a complex mystery.

In “Justice,” Picard must make a choice -- based on his values -- which he knows the God Alien won’t like.  And the God Alien is invested in the Edo the very way that Beverly and Picard are invested in Wesley.  This is an elegant dramatic structure, one often overlooked in the negative reviews of the installment. Picard has to act as judge, even as he is judged. 

Even surrounded by the half-naked Edo, Patrick Stewart displays a kind of intellectual dignity in this episode, showing us how Picard grapples with his choices, and does his best to be consistent.  For me, this is the first “real” Picard episode since the pilot. Since then, we’ve seen him silly and drunk (“The Naked Now”), hamstrung and frustrated (“Code of Honor”), relegated to the ship while philosophical leadership is delegated to Riker (“The Last Outpost”), and even cranky and surly (“Lonely Among Us.”)  Here, he assumes leadership, and we see how he lives by his ideals, and makes decisions by his ideals.

He has an issue to grapple with too, and so “Justice” is smart. Where, we all must wonder, is the consistency in having a law (like the Prime Directive) and breaking it when one judges it wrong?  How can we, or the God Alien, respect Picard if he breaks the rules he supposedly reveres?

That consistency emerges in the adult acknowledgement that even though law is necessary to maintain a civilization, it won’t serve the needs of that civilization in every situation. There must be exceptions to the law, or there is law, but not justice.  And those are two different things. It is not just to kill someone for falling into a bed of plants, even if it is the law.

We live in a country that sometimes tries 13-year old minors as adults in court, even though they are not adults. We live in a country that administers the death penalty on a regular basis to the poorest of the community; people who can't afford proper legal representation in some cases.  Therefore, this talk of justice is not irrelevant to the program’s audience. And so in the best tradition of Star Trek, “Justice” is not really about some alien planet and its customs. It is about us and how we view it.  Are our laws always fair? Are they applied equally to all?  Do they foster justice, or do they foster inequality?

Back in 2006, I had the chance to discuss “Justice” a little with its director, James Conway, and he told me about the experience: “I did "Justice," which was the ninth show…That was a lot of fun. That was a classic old-style Star Trek episode. I remember that one of the first things I shot on the show was the scene where we beamed in like nine people at once. It was unwieldy to try to photograph nine people on one side, and then all the people seeing them on the other side."

"It was fun," he also observed of the episode’s production. "They spent a lot of time designing the costumes. If you look at the old, early Season One of TNG, and you see where it went in seasons three and four when it became such a huge hit...it's a totally different TV show."  It ["Justice"] was very much a Gene Roddenberry-style show. He was a great guy, by the way. I loved Gene. When he left the show...originally there was no interfering with other cultures, so there were no fights, there was no action to speak of. And frankly I think the show got much better when the Borg showed up and everyone started shooting at each other. It [“Justice”] was like an updated version of the original series, down to the wardrobe," he concludes.

I think he’s right. “Justice,” warts and all, feels a bit more like Original Trek, than many chapters of The Next Generation do.  For me, that’s not a bad thing at all.  “Justice” is provocative in design, costume, and ideas, and that, in my book, is what makes for good science fiction television. 

Next Week: “The Battle.”